Kerry Sims went into the season thinking he would be just one cog in another high-scoring Cooper offensive machine.

"I didn't think it was going to count on me that much, because we've got a good offense," he said. "We can pass the ball and run too."

It turns out, the 5-foot-7, 155-pound senior running back has played a major role in the Cougars' 2-0 start on the football field this season. Sims leads the team in rushing with 240 yards, while he's tied with two others for the team lead in receptions with three for 28 yards.

Oh, and another thing — he has seven of the Coogs' eight touchdowns this season. KV Hazlett has the other — a 100-yard kickoff return.

Sims has run for six touchdowns this season and caught a pass for another. That's quite a haul for a guy who scored only four touchdowns last season.

"It's been great," Sims said. "I wasn't expecting to come out and get that many. I'm just trying to do what I can so we can go to state."

Last year, Sims ran for 481 yards and three touchdowns on 46 carries — good for a 10.5 average — playing behind Matt Watson, who led the team with 963 yards and 11 touchdowns on 187 carries. Watson is now a freshman at Trinity in San Antonio. Sims also caught five passes for 114 yards and a touchdown last season.

Cooper coach Todd Moebes had an idea Sims would do great things this season. He just didn't think he would be this good this early in the season.

"I don't know that I thought he would have this kind of start," he said. "I don't know that you can ever anticipate the greatest players being able to have seven touchdowns in two games. Nobody has a crystal ball and can read that. But we certainly knew what he was capable of and what his potential was. We knew he was a hard runner. We knew he ran with great vision and balance, and he ran strong. He's been able to go out there and show those things on Friday."

This year, Sims has provided quite a 1-2 punch with Cooper quarterback Lorenzo Joe, who is second on the team in rushing with 191 yards on 36 carries.

In the season opener against Wichita Falls Rider, Sims ran for touchdowns of 24, 1, 7 and 2 yards — the last with 32 seconds left to lift the Coogs to a 43-36 victory over the Raiders at Shotwell Stadium. He also caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Joe earlier in the game. Overall, Sims ran for 118 yards on 21 carries, while catching two passes for 22 yards.

Last week, on the road against Cedar Park, Sims again led the team in rushing (14-122). He also ran for touchdowns of 2 and 54 yards. Sims set up Zach Lehr's game-winning field goal with a 21-yard run on a third-and-11 play from the Timberwolves' 28. Three plays later, Lehr booted a 23-yard field goal as time expired.

"He's done a great job," Moebes said. "I know a lot of what sticks out are the stats and that type of stuff, but to me, I'm as proud of him for the stuff that hasn't been noticed — some of the runs where he hasn't scored, his hustle and blocking."

Moebes added that much of Sims' success comes from running behind a good offensive line, one that opens big holes like it did on the 54-yard touchdown run against Cedar Park.

"I'm not trying to take anything away from him, because he's done a tremendous job," Moebes said. "But he hasn't done it himself. There are 10 other guys out there too."

Still, Joe is happy to have Sims take some of the pressure off him and the offense.

"He takes a lot of pressure off," Joe said. "When he can run like that in every game, it takes a big load off the passing game. He's been doing a great job of running so far. Hopefully he can continue it going into district."

It's been quite a season for Sims thus far. Not bad for a guy who played defensive back before making the switch to running back his sophomore year. Then again, if you're named Sims and live in Abilene, then you'd better be able to run the ball. Sims' cousins Herschel and Ronnell Sims weren't too shabby in leading Abilene High to a state title in 2009.

"I just wanted to be like them," Kerry said about his two cousins. "They've always been good, and I hoped to be like them."

Now Kerry would like to do the same at Cooper, which opens District 2-5A play against Midland Lee on Friday at Shotwell Stadium.

"I don't care how many yards or touchdowns I score," he said. "I just want to win a state title. That's all that matters."